Medically Supervised Injecting Centres (MSICs)

June 27, 2017

Uniting is developing a resolution on Medically Supervised Injecting Centres (MSICs) for the Uniting Church in Victoria and Tasmania, following a request from Moderator Rev Sharon Hollis and General Secretary Rev Dr Mark Lawrence.

There is a strong evidence base to show that MSICs save lives. Around the world, MSICs have consistently shown to be effective in preventing overdose deaths and engaging vulnerable community members in drug treatment and support services.

Our peers at Uniting NSW.ACT have run Australia’s only MSIC in Sydney since 2001. The centre has supervised more than one million injections and managed more than 6,000 overdoses without a single death.

In February 2017, 48 health, welfare, research, policy and legal leaders, including Uniting ReGen, published an open letter calling on the Victorian Government to support a MSIC in Richmond. ReGen has decades of experience in the treatment of addictions to alcohol and other drugs.

The draft resolution will be taken to the 2017 Synod meeting in Melbourne in September for consideration by delegates.